Pop vs. Pup — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 20, 2024
Pop refers to a sound or cultural genre, characterized by its sudden and often sharp sound; pup denotes a young dog, emphasizing its youthful stage in life.
Difference Between Pop and Pup
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Pop, in one context, represents a quick, explosive sound often associated with things like a bursting balloon. Whereas pup is a term used for young dogs, evoking images of small, playful, and sometimes clumsy animals.
In the cultural arena, pop also stands for popular music, which is catchy, mainstream, and often appeals to a wide audience, whereas the term pup has no such musical connotations.
Pop culture thus encompasses a range of media and lifestyle elements that are prevalent in society at a given time, while the usage of pup remains specifically tied to describing a particular age or stage in a dog's life.
Additionally, 'pop' can function as a verb, describing the act of making a sudden, sharp sound or movement, whereas 'pup' does not have a verb form and is always used as a noun.
In terms of derivation, 'pop' comes from the Middle English word 'poppen,' to strike or knock, showing its dynamic nature, while 'pup' is derived from the Old French 'poupee,' reflecting its origin in reference to dolls and, by extension, small young animals.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A sharp, quick sound or music genre
Young dog
Usage in Language
Noun, verb
Noun
Connotations
Suddenness, mainstream culture
Youthfulness, cuteness
Derivation
Middle English 'poppen'
Old French 'poupee'
Common Contexts
Music, sounds, culture
Animals, growth stage
Compare with Definitions
Pop
As a noun, refers to a sudden loud noise.
The balloon went pop when it burst.
Pup
A young dog.
The pup wagged its tail excitedly.
Pop
Denotes popular music.
She loves listening to pop on the radio.
Pup
Often used affectionately to describe small dogs.
Look at that cute little pup!
Pop
Can mean to suddenly appear.
He popped into the room unexpectedly.
Pup
Used informally to refer to a young person.
The coach encouraged the pups on the team.
Pop
As a verb, means to burst or explode.
She popped the bubble wrap.
Pup
Sometimes used to denote a beginner or novice.
He’s just a pup in the world of professional chess.
Pop
Used to describe the action of opening a bottle.
He popped open a bottle of champagne.
Pup
Can refer to a young of some other animals, like seals.
The seal pup was playing in the water.
Pop
To make a short, sharp, explosive sound.
Pup
A young dog; a puppy.
Pop
To burst open with a short, sharp, explosive sound.
Pup
One of the young of certain other animals, such as wolves, coyotes, rats, seals, or sharks.
Pop
To move quickly or unexpectedly; appear abruptly
At last the cottage popped into view.
Pup
An inexperienced or conceited young person
A mere pup trying his first case in court.
Pop
To open wide suddenly
The child's eyes popped with astonishment.
Pup
To give birth to pups.
Pop
To have the eustachian tubes open suddenly, equalizing pressure on both sides of the eardrum in response to changes in atmospheric pressure, as in a descending airplane
After I swallowed, my ears popped.
Pup
A young dog, wolf, fox, seal, bat or shark, or the young of certain other animals.
The dog has had that bed since he was just a pup.
Pop
(Baseball) To hit a short high fly ball, especially one that can be caught by an infielder
Popped out to shortstop.
Pup
A young, inexperienced person.
The new teacher is a mere pup.
Pop
To shoot a firearm, such as a pistol.
Pup
Any cute dog, regardless of age.
My pup likes to run as fast as he can, yet cannot always stop in time!
Pop
To be exciting
A club that really pops at night.
Pup
A short semi-trailer used jointly with a dolly and another semi-trailer to create a twin trailer.
Pop
To be visually striking
A logo that really pops.
Pup
(horticulture) A new plant growing from a shoot that can be used for propagation.
Pop
To cause to make a sharp bursting sound.
Pup
A kind of small spotlight.
Pop
To cause to open with a sharp bursting sound
Popped the hood of the car to check the oil.
Pup
An early edition of a periodical publication, intended for distribution to distant locations.
Bulldog edition
Pop
To cause to explode with a sharp bursting sound
Popped the balloon.
Pup
(intransitive) To give birth to pups.
Pop
To put or thrust suddenly or unexpectedly
"popping a crisp plump shrimp into her mouth" (Kathleen Winsor).
Pup
A young dog; a puppy.
Pop
To discharge (a firearm).
Pup
To bring forth whelps or young, as the female of the canine species.
Pop
To fire at; shoot.
Pup
Young of any of various canines such as a dog or wolf
Pop
To hit or strike
Popped me on the head.
Pup
An inexperienced young person
Pop
(Baseball) To hit (a ball) high in the air but not far.
Pup
Birth;
The dog whelped
Pop
To release (a clutch) suddenly.
Pop
To take (drugs), especially orally
"To calm a case of the jitters ... the bride popped Valium" (People).
Pop
To have (a drink)
Popped a few beers after work.
Pop
(Slang) To take into legal custody; arrest
"Her friend was visiting and got popped for a DUI while he was driving her car" (Jamie Harrison).
Pop
A sudden sharp, explosive sound.
Pop
A shot with a firearm.
Pop
Chiefly Midwestern US See soft drink. See Note at tonic.
Pop
(Baseball) A pop fly.
Pop
Father.
Pop
Popular music.
Pop
Pop art.
Pop
With a popping sound.
Pop
Abruptly or unexpectedly.
Pop
Of or for the general public; popular or popularized
Pop culture.
Pop psychology.
Pop
Of, relating to, or specializing in popular music
A pop singer.
Pop
Of or suggestive of pop art
A pop style.
Pop
(countable) A loud, sharp sound, as of a cork coming out of a bottle.
Listen to the pop of a champagne cork.
Pop
An effervescent or fizzy drink, most frequently nonalcoholic; soda pop.
Lunch was sandwiches and a bottle of pop.
Pop
A bottle, can, or serving of effervescent or fizzy drink, most frequently nonalcoholic; a soda pop.
Go in the store and buy us three pops.
Pop
A pop shot: a quick, possibly unaimed, shot with a firearm.
The man with the gun took a pop at the rabbit.
Pop
A quantity dispensed; a portion; apiece.
They cost 50 pence a pop.
Pop
Something that stands out or is distinctive to the mind or senses.
A white dress with a pop of red
A pop of vanilla flavour
Pop
(computing) The removal of a data item from the top of a stack.
Pop
A bird, the European redwing.
Pop
(physics) The sixth derivative of the position vector with respect to time (after velocity, acceleration, jerk, jounce, crackle), i.e. the rate of change of crackle.
Pop
A pistol.
Pop
A small, immature peanut, boiled as a snack.
Pop
(colloquial) freeze pop
Pop
A (usually very) loud audience reaction.
Pop
One's father.
My pop used to tell me to do my homework every night.
Pop
Pop music.
Pop
A Russian Orthodox priest; a parson.
Pop
(intransitive) To make a pop, or sharp, quick sound.
The muskets popped away on all sides.
Pop
(ergative) To burst (something) with a popping sound.
The boy with the pin popped the balloon.
This corn pops well.
Pop
To enter, or issue forth, with a quick, sudden movement; to move from place to place suddenly; to dart.
A rabbit popped out of the hole.
Pop
To place (something) (somewhere); to move or position (something) with a short movement.
Just pop it in the fridge for now.
He popped his head around the door.
Pop
To make a short trip or visit.
I'm just popping round to the newsagent.
I'll pop by your place later today.
Pop
(intransitive) To stand out; to be distinctive to the senses.
This colour really pops.
Pop
(transitive) To hit (something or someone).
He popped me on the nose.
Pop
To shoot (usually somebody) with a firearm.
Pop
To ejaculate; to orgasm.
Pop
To remove (a data item) from the top of a stack.
Pop
To give birth.
Pop
To pawn (something) (to raise money).
I had to pop my watch to see me through until pay-day.
Pop
To swallow or consume (especially a tablet of a drug, sometimes extended to other small items such as sweets or candy).
Pop
To perform (a move or stunt) while riding a board or vehicle.
Pop
To undergo equalization of pressure when the Eustachian tubes open.
My ears popped as the aeroplane began to ascend.
Pop
(dance) To perform the popping style of dance.
Pop
To arrest.
He's on probation. We can pop him right now for gang association.
Pop
Used to represent a loud, sharp sound, as of a cork coming out of a bottle.
Pop
(used attributively in set phrases) Popular.
Pop
A small, sharp, quick explosive sound or report; as, to go off with a pop.
Pop
A nonalcoholic carbonated beverage; - so called because it expels the cork with a pop from the bottle containing it; as, ginger pop; lemon pop, etc.
Pop
The European redwing.
Pop
To make a pop, or sharp, quick sound; as, the muskets popped away on all sides.
Pop
To enter, or issue forth, with a quick, sudden movement; to move from place to place suddenly; to dart; - with in, out, upon, off, etc.
He that killed my king . . . Popp'd in between the election and my hopes.
A trick of popping up and down every moment.
Pop
To burst open with a pop, when heated over a fire; as, this corn pops well.
Pop
To thrust or push suddenly; to offer suddenly; to bring suddenly and unexpectedly to notice; as, to pop one's head in at the door.
He popped a paper into his hand.
Pop
To cause to pop; to cause to burst open by heat, as grains of Indian corn; as, to pop corn or chestnuts.
Pop
To eat or swallow; - of food, especially snacks, in small pieces; as, he popped a whole can of peanuts while watching the movie.
Pop
Like a pop; suddenly; unexpectedly.
Pop
An informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
Pop
A sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring;
In New England they call sodas tonics
Pop
A sharp explosive sound as from a gunshot or drawing a cork
Pop
Music of general appeal to teenagers; a bland watered-down version of rock'n'roll with more rhythm and harmony and an emphasis on romantic love
Pop
Bulge outward;
His eyes popped
Pop
Hit a pop-fly;
He popped out to shortstop
Pop
Make a sharp explosive noise;
The cork of the champagne bottle popped
Pop
Fire a weapon with a loud explosive noise;
The soldiers were popping
Pop
Cause to make a sharp explosive sound;
He popped the champagne bottle
Pop
Appear suddenly or unexpectedly;
The farm popped into view as we turned the corner
He suddenly popped up out of nowhere
Pop
Put or thrust suddenly and forcefully;
Pop the pizza into the microwave oven
He popped the petit-four into his mouth
Pop
Release suddenly;
Pop the clutch
Pop
Hit or strike;
He popped me on the head
Pop
Drink down entirely;
He downed three martinis before dinner
She killed a bottle of brandy that night
They popped a few beer after work
Pop
Take drugs, especially orally;
The man charged with murder popped a valium to calm his nerves
Pop
Cause to burst with a lound, explosive sound;
The child popped the balloon
Pop
Burst open with a sharp, explosive sound;
The balloon popped
This popcorn pops quickly in the microwave oven
Pop
(of music or art) new and of general appeal (especially among young people)
Pop
Like a pop or with a pop;
Everything went pop
Common Curiosities
How are "pop" and "pup" used differently in terms of sound and meaning?
"Pop" refers to a sound or a broad cultural phenomenon, while "pup" specifically describes a young animal, typically a dog.
What does "pop" commonly refer to in everyday language?
It usually refers to a type of music or a sudden sound.
Are there any idiomatic uses of the word "pop"?
Yes, phrases like "pop the question" or "pop into my head" are common idiomatic uses.
Is "pop" related to a specific cultural era?
Yes, "pop" as in pop music typically refers to trends and styles in music that are widely favored from the 1950s onwards.
What is a "pup" exactly?
It's a term for a young dog.
Can the word "pup" apply to any other animals besides dogs?
Yes, it can also refer to the young of some other species like seals.
Can "pop" be used as a verb?
Yes, it can describe the act of making a sharp, quick noise or appearing suddenly.
What kind of behavior might you expect from a pup?
Pups are generally playful, energetic, and require training and socialization.
How does the meaning of "pop" differ when used in relation to food?
In food context, "pop" can refer to making popcorn or to drinks like soda pop, emphasizing the sound associated with opening the beverage or the cooking process.
How do the usages of "pop" and "pup" reflect societal attitudes or values?
"Pop" reflects a society’s preferences and trends in entertainment and consumption, whereas "pup" often denotes care, nurturing, and affection towards young animals.
What adaptations are there for the term "pop" in technology?
In technology, "pop" might refer to POP (Post Office Protocol) used in email, or to popping up notifications.
Does "pop" have different meanings in different regions?
Yes, for instance, in some regions in the U.S., "pop" is commonly used to refer to any soft drink.
How does the concept of "pop" influence fashion?
Pop culture heavily influences fashion trends, often dictating popular styles and colors that reflect the music and entertainment of the time.
Can "pup" be used in professional or technical contexts?
It’s less common, but "pup" can be used in professional contexts, particularly in animal health and breeding.
What is the general age range for an animal to be considered a pup?
Generally, a dog is considered a pup from birth until about one year of age.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
